the common rights of mankind. But, it feems, there are yet Priests remaining, in this part of the world as well as others, who would gladly fupport any fyftem of civil tyranny, provided they may be

per

mitted to have their share of that ecclefiaftical dominion, which is fo grateful to the imagination of afpiring Churchmen.

AMONG other curious particulars in your extraordinary fermon, you have been pleased, Sir, to speak of the Nonconformifts, in terms of which a divine of any candour or moderation would have been afhamed. The establishment of the Church of England, and the rife of the Diffenters, is thus defcribed by your figurative pen. The VINE WHICH THE LORD HAD PLANTED, had no fooner taken root in the land, but an EVIL WEED fprung up under its fhade, and interwove itself in • its branches; checking the growth, and

6 BLAST

6

BLASTING THE FRUIT of the tree which

supported it. And in another place, you thus characterize the Diffenters: From

the AFFECTED GRAVITY of their deport'ment, the GLOOMY CAST of their coun

tenance, and their pretences to a more pure form of divine worship than that • established in the church, they acquired the name of PURITANS; a TURBULENT SECT, whofe very principles were full of RANCOUR and VIOLENCE.' But p. 22, your ardent affection for the memory of the ROYAL MARTYR carries you ftill farther. You obferve, that "this day of public fast

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ing and humiliation," the 30th of January, ' will fill us with a just abhorrence ' of the principles and practices of those BLOODY-MINDED MEN, who, under the SANCTIFIED PRETENCE of promoting the ⚫ honour of God, committed EVERY CRUELTY which their own SULLEN RELI

6 GIOUS

GIOUS MALICE, or the INSTIGATION OF
THE DEVIL, could infpire.'

It is not neceffary to enter here into any particular vindication of the conduct of the Puritans. Nothing is more certain, than that great numbers of them were men of distinguished piety, and of the most exemplary manners. And whatever their imperfections might be, the cruel oppreffion which they underwent, from the crown and from the bishops, will fully justify their joining with thofe members of the established church, who were folicitous to preferve the rights of Englishmen, in oppofing the arbitrary government of Charles the First. The Nonconformifts were treated with great cruelty by the influence and authority of the prelates of the church of England; who were not content with persecuting them at home in the most rigorous manner, but, in 1637, obtained

4

a pro

a proclamation from your BEST OF PRIN CES, to deprive them even of the miserable refuge of flying to other countries, where they might enjoy the liberty of worshipping God in that manner which their consciences approved.

WITH refpect to what you have advanced relative to the Scottish Presbyterian Clergy, I muft obferve, that I think it not worth while to enter into any inquiry into their conduct, or to attempt any vindication of it. I know of no order of clergy, by whom any confiderable degree of power has been possessed, who have not groffly abused it.' I have the strongest averfion to ecclefiaftical, as well as to civil tyranny, whatever form it may affume. And if men must be oppreffed by Priefts, it is of little confequence whether they are styled Presbyters or Bishops. I think, however, that if we were to attempt a parallel between the Pope

Pope and fome Bishops of the Church of England, in the fame manner as you have done between his Holiness and the Scottish Presbyterian clergy, the English prelates would not appear in a much more advantageous point of view, than their reverend Scottish brethren; if, without offence to you, I may venture fo to term them. It is at least certain, that the powers affumed by the English Bishops, after the Reformation, were very far from being confiftent with Proteftant principles; and that their conduct towards thofe who diffented from them, was in a very high degree cruel, oppreffive, and unjust.

You talk much, Sir, of the importance. of religion to civil fociety; and I am as much convinced as you can be, that a firm belief of the great truths of religion, has the strongest tendency to render the conduct of men more virtuous and amiable in

all